Electronic game tracking

Abstract

An electronic game tracking program facilitates deployment, use, and sponsoring of electronic games in a manner that avoids limitations associated with proprietary solutions. The electronic game tracking program provides a basis for rewarding game developers, sponsors, and the like. The program further provides methods and systems for game assessment, feedback, market research, trial offers, subscription, pay-per-use and the like. An electronic game tracking program facilitates local and on-line gaming, including multi-player games, online interactive games, sample games, downloaded games, uploading games, and the like. Access to games, features of games, and repeated use of a game may be enabled by the methods and systems provided by the electronic game tracking program. The electronic game tracking program facilitates aspects of social networking, such as determining membership in online clubs, access to individuals' online information associated with a social networking site or page, and distribution and tracking of games offered through social networking sites.

1 . A computer program for executing, on a computing facility, the following steps: 
 receiving tracking criteria;    accessing a code in a computer memory, the code enabling execution of a portion of the computer program;    executing the enabled portion of the computer program; and    tracking aspects of executing the enabled portion.    
   
   
       2 . The computer program of  claim 1 , wherein the computer program does not use digital rights management.  
   
   
       3 . The computer program of  claim 1 , wherein the computing facility includes one or more of a CPU, operating system, screen, video out, USB connector, input control device, button, keyboard, mouse, pointer, wired interface for an input control device, wireless interface for an input control device, a battery, a power port.  
   
   
       4 . The computer program of  claim 1 , wherein the computer program is associated with an open-source software development kit.  
   
   
       5 . The computer program of  claim 1 , wherein the computer memory is one of a USB memory facility, a commercial off-the-shelf memory facility, and a memory facility that is adapted to interface with a commercial off-the-shelf computing facility.  
   
   
       6 . The computer program of  claim 1 , wherein the computer memory is a removable memory device.  
   
   
       7 . The computer program of  claim 6 , wherein the removable memory device is adapted to track access to the code.  
   
   
       8 . The computer program of  claim 6 , further including the step of storing the code, from time to time, into the memory device.  
   
   
       9 . The computer program of  claim 6 , wherein the code is part of a computer game program that is stored, from time to time, into the memory device.  
   
   
       10 . The computer program of  claim 1 , wherein the computer program is a computer game.  
   
   
       11 . The computer program of  claim 6 , wherein the memory device is further adapted to provide a report signal to the computer program, wherein the report signal encompasses information relating to the tracking.  
   
   
       12 . The computer program of  claim 11 , wherein the report signal appears as a file in a file system of the memory device.  
   
   
       13 . The computer program of  claim 1 , wherein the tracking criteria includes at least two of a game execution, game time, and a game event.  
   
   
       14 . The computer program of  claim 13 , wherein game time includes one or more of an accumulation of time the game is played, duration of a game execution, and a percent of idle time during a game execution.  
   
   
       15 . The computer program of  claim 13 , wherein a game event is selected from the group consisting of downloading a game, uploading a game, starting a game, ending a game, pausing a game, defeating an opponent, capturing a game item, accumulating a game property, attempting a game level, completing a game level, achieving a goal, overcoming a challenge, loosing a game life, defeat, losing items, losing acquired property, reaching a game start count threshold, accessing a game feature, and adding a game participant to a game execution session.  
   
   
       16 . The computer program of  claim 1 , further including the step of transmitting a report signal over a network associated with the computing facility, wherein the report signal is transmitted based on a comparison of tracked program aspect with a tracking criteria threshold.  
   
   
       17 . The computer program of  claim 16 , wherein the threshold is one or more of a number of game starts, a number of online participants, a number of requests for online participation, completing a game level, and completing a game.  
   
   
       18 . A computer program for executing, on a computing facility, the following steps: 
 receiving tracking criteria;    receiving a computer game program;    storing a representation of the tracking criteria in a computer memory; wherein the game program accesses the stored tracking criteria; and    tracking the accesses to the stored criteria.    
   
   
       19 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein storing a representation includes storing a computer program adapted to execute on the computing facility when accessed by the game program.  
   
   
       20 . The computer program of  claim 19 , wherein the stored computer program tracks aspects of the game program associated with the tracking criteria.  
   
   
       21 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein the tracking criteria includes at least two of a game execution, game time, and a game event.  
   
   
       22 . The computer program of  claim 21 , wherein game time includes one or more of an accumulation of time the game is played, duration of a game execution, and a percent of idle time during a game execution.  
   
   
       23 . The computer program of  claim 21 , wherein a game event is selected from the group consisting of downloading a game, uploading a game, starting a game, ending a game, pausing a game, defeating an opponent, capturing a game item, accumulating a game property, attempting a game level, completing a game level, achieving a goal, overcoming a challenge, loosing a game life, defeat, losing items, losing acquired property, reaching a game start count threshold, accessing a game feature, and adding a game participant to a game execution session.  
   
   
       24 . The computer program of  claim 18 , further including the step of transmitting a report signal over a network associated with the computing facility, wherein the report signal is transmitted based on a comparison of tracked program aspect with a tracking criteria threshold.  
   
   
       25 . The computer program of  claim 24 , wherein the threshold is one or more of a number of game starts, a number of online participants, a number of requests for online participation, completing a game level, and completing a game.